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A Campus Away From CampusCURRENTS ArticleHelping online students feel connected to your institution is a major challenge for engagement professionals. In 2015, the Penn State San Diego alumni chapter created an "adoption" program to engage the hundreds of virtual students in its neighborhood and make them feel part of the Penn State family. The chapter assessed its ongoing programming to see how it could include and assist San Diego-area distance learners. It offered the students free membership, invited them to a networking event, sent encouraging notes during finals week, and hosted a family-friendly afternoon holiday party.

Into the StormCURRENTS ArticleWithin hours of the June 2016 Brexit referendum in which 51.9 percent of voters in the United Kingdom opted to leave the European Union, many U.K. universities created special teams to address their most immediate concerns: student and staff recruitment and retention. University College London convened a Brexit planning group, chaired by its president and provost, with top representatives participating from offices such as communications, development, international, education and student affairs, the registrar, and human resources, as well as the college's unions.

It’s a Wrap!CURRENTS ArticleFirst-year and international students at Concordia University Irvine received a warm welcome—literally—before the 2016–17 Opening Convocation, when alumni from the past four decades presented them with Concordia scarves. In brainstorming how to celebrate the California institution's 40th anniversary, campus leaders seized upon the idea of an evolving graduation stole. Presenting these modern stoles before convocation will become an annual scarving tradition.

Grand Gold RushCURRENTS ArticleInspired design, storytelling, ingenuity, humor, and brevity were hallmarks of this year's CASE Circle of Excellence Awards Grand Gold winners, the highest prize bestowed by the program. Whether attracting international applicants with an ambitious contest, sharing advice through campus fun facts and pride points, demonstrating that campus quirks will garner attention and gifts, or redesigning a magazine in a way that makes class notes inviting and (gasp!) readable, institutions relied on research, knowledge, and creative skill to push boundaries and deliver inspired work—much of it produced in-house.

Crazy, Super, CoolCURRENTS ArticleWith 2016 coming to a close, Currents wanted to reflect on this year’s amazing innovations at universities around the world. Our favorites include a pizza ATM, software to help you pronounce names, innovative helmets, windows made with wood, and microchips engraved with donor names sent into space.

Not Your Average FreshmanCURRENTS ArticleChester Gryzbowski, a 105-year-old World War II veteran, had hoped to study civil engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, but the war and the Great Depression interrupted his aspirations. In 2016, Georgia Tech's president named him an honorary student.

Having a ‘Hamilton’ MomentCURRENTS ArticleHamilton College students and alumni were fans of Alexander Hamilton long before the musical about him became a Tony-winning sensation. But the New York institution is happy to revel in the attention surrounding the first U.S. treasury secretary: Excitement about Hamilton has become an undercurrent of the campus culture, says Ellen Hotchkiss Rainey, executive director of alumni and parent relations. Here's how three institutions are connecting with the production's popularity.

Student AidCURRENTS ArticleStudents at Arizona's Prescott College pay an additional $30 per term to support the Freedom Education Fund, a full-ride scholarship for immigrants who would otherwise be excluded from college. Arizona is among one of the states that does not offer financial aid to undocumented students, and Prescott is the state's first four-year college to implement such a fee.

Annual Conference on Marketing and BrandingConferenceIntegrated marketing is essential for colleges, universities and independent schools to effectively meet their strategic goals, including recruitment, alumni support, fundraising, and brand loyalty among primary audiences. This program examines the latest best practices in the field.

Embracing DisruptionCURRENTS ArticleDuring the Great Recession, Bill Campbell became fascinated with marketing in fields experiencing disruption. He left his position as a vice president and brand strategy director at an agency to work for a university—in a higher education marketplace that has become profoundly destabilized. Crazy? No. Savvy marketing professionals should view obstacles as opportunities. They offer the potential to move in different directions as well as the prospect of leading an important conversation about marketing's place in higher education and its effect on the future viability of our institutions.

Talking Points: Access for AllCURRENTS ArticleImproving your efforts to enroll students with disabilities will enhance the education you provide to all students. The process for obtaining accommodations varies per institution, but it begins with a student's request. Too often, the onus is on students to prove their disability—a problem for those who might not know how to advocate for themselves. Typically only one office on campus handles accommodations for students with disabilities, but the education of all students is the responsibility of everyone at the institution. Here are a few ways to improve accessibility on your campus.

A Ruff Job InterviewCURRENTS ArticleThe Veterinary Nursing Programme at Edinburgh Napier University uses dogs during candidate interviews to "vet" applicants by seeing how they interact with the animal.

2015 Circle of Excellence Grand Gold WinnersCURRENTS ArticleEmotion and connection were major themes among 2015's CASE Circle of Excellence Awards Grand Gold winners. Whether communicating about a deadly virus, cultivating entrepreneurs, engaging alumni with advanced degrees, or sharing the inspiring story of a college student whose life was cut short by illness, institutions dug deeply into their creative toolboxes-though not necessarily into their budgets. They also had fun courting prospective students and welcoming new admits to the family.

Boot CampusCURRENTS ArticleUniversities often struggle to engage and retain veterans. Like other nontraditional students, veterans are more likely to be older, married, and have full-time jobs and children. They aren't always interested in the traditional university experience, and they may have disabilities that require special accommodations. So how do you reach out to the veterans on your campus? How can you ensure they become as loyal to your institution as they are to their fellow service members? The first step may be to better understand their struggles.

Talking Points: Decision DilemmasCURRENTS ArticleTo bump up graduation and retention rates, community colleges need to develop more structured and coherent programs and services that lead to students' timely graduation and career aspirations. Some leading community colleges are now employing a "guided pathways" approach that focuses on the four main areas of the student experience, from enrollment to graduation.

Live from CampusCURRENTS ArticleVideo drives engagement and can help institutions reach key populations. Colleges and universities are using Google Hang­outs, which can be archived on their YouTube channels, to broadcast everything from Q&A sessions for prospective students to discussions of newsworthy issues that highlight faculty members' expertise.

ScholarshipsGood QuestionDo you have information on scholarship management and administration?

Outlook: What Would Yelp Reviews Reveal About Your Institution?CURRENTS ArticleSuccessful entrepreneurs know that to increase profits you need to attract and retain customers. To appeal to and keep students, colleges and universities can no longer rest on their academic reputations and act as if they are doing students a favor by providing a rigorous education

Talking Points: State of AttainmentCURRENTS ArticleFederal policies provide crucial support to students working to earn a degree, but states play the primary role in determining the educational attainment of their population. The opportunity to enroll in and complete college varies from state to state, as well as within states. Here are three key ways states can help more students obtain higher levels of education.

Scholarship AgreementsSample CollectionThe Library maintains this collection of scholarship samples for all members. The collection includes agreements, policies, committees, stewardship and assorted other materials.

Independent School Student Mentoring SamplesSample CollectionThe Library maintains this collection of independent school alumni student mentoring materials including program examples, mentor and mentee resources, forms and assorted other materials. The sections below are arranged by sample type, then alphabetically by institution.

Community College Student Mentoring SamplesSample CollectionThe Library maintains this collection of community college alumni student mentoring materials including program examples, mentor and mentee resources, forms and assorted other materials. The sections below are arranged by sample type, then alphabetically by institution.

Scholarship CommitteesSample CollectionThe Library maintains this collection of scholarship samples for all members. The collection includes agreements, policies, committees, stewardship and assorted other materials.

Community College Scholarship SamplesSample CollectionThe Library maintains this collection of Community College scholarship materials including agreements, policies, committees, stewardship and assorted other materials. The sections below are arranged by sample type, then alphabetically by institution.

Independent School Scholarship SamplesSample CollectionThe Library maintains this collection of independent school scholarship materials including agreements, policies, committees, stewardship and assorted other materials. The sections below are arranged by sample type, then alphabetically by institution.

Scholarship Policies & GuidelinesSample CollectionThe Library maintains this collection of scholarship samples for all members. The collection includes agreements, policies, committees, stewardship and assorted other materials.

Scholarship StewardshipSample CollectionThe Library maintains this collection of scholarship samples for all members. The collection includes agreements, policies, committees, stewardship and assorted other materials.

Talking Points: Mission AchievableCURRENTS ArticleInitiative shows that with collective effort, closing the college enrollment and graduation gap between underrepresented minority and low-income students and others is possible.

Outlook: Losing GroundCURRENTS ArticleBefore the U.S. Supreme Court addresses another challenge to affirmative action, higher education leaders who know the benefits of a diverse campus should speak up, says diversity expert William Harvey.

Scholarship SamplesSample CollectionThe Library maintains this collection of scholarship materials including agreements, policies, committees, stewardship and assorted other materials. The pages in the collection are arranged by sample type, then alphabetically by institution.

More Students Claim Two or More Alma MatersArticle, BriefCASE ArticleA recent study reports that more U.S. students are attending multiple institutions, with some transferring as many as three times, before earning a postsecondary degree.

Talking Points: Thorny BranchesCURRENTS ArticleIn recent years, several international branch campuses have closed their doors for a variety of reasons, including their inability to attract sufficient and sufficiently qualified students. Still, more are being developed and entering an increasingly competitive environment.

Report Reveals Shift in U.S. Higher EducationArticle, BriefCASE ArticleA new report reveals that undergraduate enrollment at colleges and universities in the United States increased by almost 5 million students during the last 10 years; nearly 30 percent of this increase occurred at private for-profit institutions.

Influencing the InfluencersCURRENTS ArticleThis article discusses the growing trend of U.S. four-year institutions collecting e-mail addresses from parents of applicants. Some institutions are using this information as a marketing tool to involve parents in the college selection and decision-making process.

Outlook: Beyond the Digital DivideCURRENTS ArticleNew research shows that black and Hispanic students use digital tools in the college search process just as much, if not more, than white students do. Institutions should employ multiple technological tools to recruit a diverse class.

Enrollment at Two-Year Institutions in U.S. Hits Record HighArticle, BriefCASE ArticleRecently released data from the U.S. Census Bureau reveal that the proportion of 18- to 24-year olds attending higher education institutions has hit an all-time high due to a surge in enrollments at two-year institutions.

More Canadian Students Consider Graduate SchoolArticle, BriefCASE ArticleIn a related article, a new survey reports that 9 out of 10 Canadian university students are concerned about the recession and that some are now considering graduate school or a second degree due to career and financial worries.

Growth in U.S. Graduate Enrollment Driven by Domestic StudentsArticle, BriefCASE ArticleIncreasing global competition and recognition of the value of a graduate education, especially in today’s economy, has resulted in larger annual growth in the percentage of domestic students enrolling in U.S. graduate schools than international students for the first time in four years.

Advance Work: Who Goes to College?CURRENTS ArticleData show that 18- to 24-year-olds from families with lower incomes are less likely to go to college than those from families with higher incomes.

Advance Work: Far From HomeCURRENTS ArticleThe Institute of International Education says that international enrollment for the 2007-2008 academic year increased 7 percent from the previous year, to 623,805 students.

Australia Announces "Bold Plan" in Higher EducationArticle, BriefCASE ArticleThe Australian government has announced a new plan to boost the number of Australians aged 25 to 34 with bachelor’s degrees from 32 to 40 percent of the population during the next 15 years.

Talking Points: Money Changes EverythingCURRENTS ArticleThe increase in tuition fees in England has led students to more seriously consider their study options than they have in the past. Universities are wise to take this new consumer attitude into consideration in their marketing efforts, particularly during the application cycle.

Race-Conscious Admissions Policies Benefit Society, Not Just IndividualsCURRENTS ArticleRace-conscious admissions is a hot-button topic with strong feelings on both sides of the debate. This issue of CURRENTS includes discussions of each viewpoint. This article argues that taking race into consideration in admissions is necessary in the fight to erase racial inequality.

Special DeliveryCURRENTS ArticleSome institutions welcome input from admissions consultants; some won't give them the time of day. Some consultants are independent "packagers"; others are members of regulating associations. This article describes the difference between the two kinds and in the ways they work to help students get into their choice of college.

Closing Remarks: A Level Playing FieldCURRENTS ArticleTwo prestigious universities were the first to drop early admissions. Others have followed. Will there be more? Will doing away with early admissions help or hurt equalization of access to higher education? Will it benefit students or learning? The author weighs in on these issues and more.

Talking Points: The Same but DifferentCURRENTS ArticleTuition discounting--using financial aid to help defray students' expenses and to influence their enrollment decisions--is standard practice at most private institutions. This article examines the practice and how it has changed over the years. It’s become an integral part of enrollment-management strategies that colleges use to try to build enrollments, increase net revenue, and shape incoming classes to fit institutional missions and preferences.

Talking Points: Testing the Limits of the SATCURRENTS ArticleIn this Talking Points piece, Richard Atkinson, president of the University of California, shares his opinion that students should be judged on their academic achievements, not on ill-defined notions of aptitude. Read on to learn why he proposed that his institution no longer require the SAT I as part of its admissions process.

Closing Remarks: Acceptance Letter™CURRENTS ArticleIn a satire, Keiger suggests what might happen if a campus goes to an extreme with commercial endorsements and marketing incentives.